Stepping into the NYU Abu Dhabi Mailroom during the pandemic (located in the C2 building). Photo Courtesy of Aashraya Dutt.
Confessions of a Shopaholic: A Sneak Peek into the Mailroom
The packages arriving at the mailroom hold a transformative potential for students, containing food products sent from home, online purchases and family care. There is an oasis of support and ambition that lives within these packages.
Feb 20, 2021
As our eyes finally met, I knew that was the one. Entering the NYU Abu Dhabi mailroom for the first time, I was overwhelmed to see hundreds of brown boxes, some small and others big, stacked haphazardly on top of each other. But more than that, I was simply unable to conceal my excitement, as my new phone was hidden in one of the many modestly packaged parcels.
Over the past year, as our relationship to proximity with others has been redefined in response to the Covid-19 pandemic, the one thing I have continued to look forward to meeting is my mail. As India was in a state of full lockdown, my packages gradually became my only form of connection to the outside world.
Isha Gandham, Class of 2024, shared similar concerns for safety when going off campus and the need to adapt her lifestyle to the new Covid-19 normal. “I don’t prefer going off campus because of the Covid-19 restrictions… and even with the shuttle service, I wouldn’t want to grab a spot [from] someone who needs to urgently go to the city for medical examinations when I can just order online.”
For others, the shift to online platforms for purchases seemed the most sensible as it is convenient, undemanding and stress-free.
“I don’t like shopping [in person] as I do not have the stamina… you have to go around and find your size and try it on,” explained Moyosoreoluwa Olatosi, Class of 2024. “I tried to go to Yas Mall and I did not feel inspired because I couldn’t see the vision of the clothes, whereas online you can switch the pages and see the models. It’s much more organized and it’s easier.. and I didn’t have to take a taxi so it's also financially more advantageous.”
“[As] I moved into my dorm recently, I ordered some tapestry and lights. Back in India, I have a lot of decorations in my room and these are quite similar to that. It feels like home when I put them up. When I receive a package, it’s exciting because I really like shopping — it’s like a gift to yourself.”
Shanaia Paruthi mentioned that such items were essential in modeling her blue-themed room. But more importantly, they were snippets of home — they created a space of comfort.
“Now that I’m in Abu Dhabi, it’s easy to order and I can buy literally anything I want. I recently ordered some clothes from Pretty Little Thing… I tend to gravitate towards things that are a bit different, I try to experiment… I look for interesting skirts and interesting shoes. My packages mean a lot to me because in secondary school, growing up in Nigeria, I had big insecurities of dressing up and I had very few opportunities to go out. ”
“I recently ordered a bunch of things including hooks and lights for my room. I wanted to make my room my own space because before it was super empty... I decorated it to make it feel like there was something of my own. I also had a gift arrive for my friend who has her birthday very soon, so these packages, personally, mean a lot to me. It’s all very exciting to go to the mailroom and pick up the package and unpack it… it’s like retail therapy.”
Coming to campus during the second half of her first year, Aigerim Zhusubalieva, much like Paruthi, ordered items for her residential suite. She felt relaxed and at ease as she was finally able to find the appropriate ambience and locate herself within the previously bare walls of her room.
She added that even a standard purchase such as a clothes dryer from Amazon gave her a great sense of achievement as soon as she finished assembling it. Buying such functional products indicated her entry into adulthood.
“I recently asked my mom to ship me products — mostly food — from Thailand, such as noodles and Suki sauce. This is because I plan to start cooking Thai food soon. As a freshman, it can be hard to move away from your home country, and the things in my package make me feel less homesick. My packages that come from Thailand remind me of home, family and comfort.”
There is an oasis of support and ambition that lives within these packages. For Angie Jafari, Class of 2024, these ingredients unleash an opportunity to try out cooking as a possible hobby. Being able to cook her authentic comfort food also serves as a coping mechanism against the infamous homesickness of the first year.
“I honestly don’t use the online platform that often, but I try to order things that I don’t find on campus or at the convenience store. My parents recently ordered a couple of fruits like apricots along with a heating bag for me. I was delighted. My package is a reminder for me to maintain a healthy lifestyle and prioritize my wellbeing.”
As I traced a few of the many packages that arrived in the mailroom this week, I witnessed the new narratives these products carry as they find their new homes. Being plastered on dorm walls, sitting on the kitchen shelf or lying in a closet, each product has a transformative potential — they bring comfort, growth, self care and independence. As I wait for my next order to arrive in the mailroom — hopefully this week — I look forward to seeing other packages, big and small, and wonder: what sea of opportunities does this fresh batch of deliveries offer?
Aashraya Dutt is Deputy News Editor. Email her at feedback@thegazelle.org.
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